Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-03-03

than two hundred trees The second con-
dition was the building and keeping in re-
pair comfortable brick dwellings.
| have often wondered at those old houses
and those old apple trees. No living wit
ness could tell me when the one was built
or the other planted-the one standing like
rock, with it long raiters, and the other
bearing as they do to-day abundant and
\ delicious fruit. Wise condition, it seems to
me, looking to the development and in
crease ofpopulation in new country, moth
ing aimed more directly to that end than
good comfortable dwellings and good whole
some fruit for the people.
We would be greatly mistaken to sup
pose that those old fellows were less happy,
comfortable or healthy than we. Why
have the modes and styles of building
changed? Or why has that the most deli
cious and wholesome of all fruit, the apple,
almost disappeared from our midst2 De-
licious and wholesome, say, for no moth
er of st. Mary's county ever had child or
any member of her family made sick by
eating sound Winter apple. If you wish
well behaved and hearty flock have
barrel Of apples to run all Winter Some
of us may say that our soil is not adapted
to the apple nor our clay suited for good
brick. These old buildings and the nice
fruit yet borne by those old trees deny the
truth Of such reasons.
There are old brick buildings now stand
ing or recently been removed or burned
largely over one hundred years, made from
the clay of our soil and laid in lime of the
shells of our oysters, as sound as the day
of erection, beautiful work in every respect
e. g,-the st. Inigo's and Newtown Man
or Houses, All Faith and st. Andrews
Churches, the old brick office in Leonard
town (ately removed). For years back we
have failed in most cases to make perfect or
such lasting brick, and there is hardly to be
found barrel of native Winter apples in
! our county at this date Baltimore and
Washington markets are depended on, not
only for such, but for many hundreds of
like articles now. Much of our money
goes out, not only to cover the high price
Of the article itself, but to pay from 10 to
90 per cent. in transportation and such like
charges
Your correspondents may write and cor
rectly as they do of the equal and superior
advantages Of old St Mary's with and over
other sections, and the adaptability of our
soil to any and all commodities grown in our
climate. This is all very true, but dcsper-
ate times have come upon us. Weare and
have been looking for sometime for help
in the wrong directiOns-improyem of
prices, outside markets, foreign wars and
internal railroad Improvements. II is true
we are poor and depressed, yet do we ever
think we can be poorer and times be more
desperate and yet may live and be happy
II seems TO me the above hopes are not to
be trusted, nor can we safely wait for them.
| Home and ourselves must be hereafter more
relied on as the safer basis for our relief !
have often been told nothing Is SO cheap Ms
that which we can grow or make ourselves.
do not feel able to. apply full and pro-
per remedy to the disease, but a little of
philosophy would go far to solve the ques-
ton. We do not rely on ourselves enough,
We have neglected and laid aside those
home domestic industries of olden times too
soon. Wheat, corn, tobacco, wool, iron and
earthenware, etc, are cheaper than 100
years ago Living they tell us Is higher
to-day than then. / doubt it. We can
make living what we please. The Judge
in our highest court to the lowest public
servant demands and receives double and
often many times more than those of that
day. So we should in retrenching in the
family, and whenever justified, demand re-
duction and close economy in our govern
mental expenses. We have progressed in
one or more aspects-we have schools
our people have more general learning
Science and machinery have done wonders.
Many Of our boys and young women can
correctly demonstrate the most difficult
calculation. Tell you all about the solar
SYSTEM but lack the practical knowledge
of building n pig pen on mother earth or TO
make cake Of soap or a jug of yeast The
art has gone, the hop vine has disappeared
from the garden and the lye hopper fallen
TO pieces. The balance of trade is against
practical knowledge. We are all qualified
to serve at the bar all fit TO be sent TO the
legislature, but none Of US are learning to
make or lay brick or weld piece ofiron.
The chestnut single and homo. made bas-
ket and AK helye and oak clap-board has
| given place in many cases 10 an inferior
and more expensive substitute. Our mon
ey should remain at home if we can't do all
ourselves. The poor working men and wo-
men Of our county would be glad to have
employment, and they in time could help
us as purchasers for our surplus
Those Of one hundred years ago had the
| brain, muscle and material 10 meet the Sit
uation and relieve it, under greater Difficult
| ties than us ofto-day Let us hope the same
stock Of people is left.
THREE DORIS.